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Fireplaces
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Designed more for show, traditional open masonry fireplaces should  not be considered heating devices. Traditional fireplaces draw in as much as 300 cubic feet per minute of heated room air for combustion, then send it straight up the chimney. Fireplaces also produce significant air pollution. Although some fireplace designs seek to address these issues with dedicated air supplies, glass doors, and heat recovery systems, fireplaces are still energy losers. When burning a fire, you should turn your heat down or off and open a window near the fireplace. Only high-efficiency fireplace inserts have proven effective in increasing the heating efficiency of older fireplaces. Essentially, the inserts function like woodstoves, fitting into the masonry fireplace or on its hearth, and use the existing chimney. You must install a flue collar that continues from the insert to the top of the chimney. A well-fitted fireplace insert can function nearly as efficiently as a woodstove.
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How to Make a Lexan Fireplace Cover |
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Written by Brent Quebman @ EnergyQue.com
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Seal your fireplace from draftYour fireplace acts like a big chimney...OK so that may  seem obvious but do you really know how much your leaking up there? According to the Department of Energy, a lit fireplace sucks about 24,000 cubic feet of furnace heated air up the chimney every hour. This sounds dramatic but, the real problem is how much is sucked up 24/7 right through the damper. And if that wasn't bad enough in most fireplaces there is a vent in the back that allows fresh air in to help feed the fire which is usually left open. There are many solutions to fix this problem and they all depend on what your willing to do and or live with. Probably the easiest is to shove some insulation up the flue and close the vent in the back. This works fine if you never use the fireplace. If it is a gas fireplace then simple framed glass door unit will probably do the trick. But if you plan to burn wood, you probably want something a little more accessible when you do have a fire going.
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